Abstract: A platen for a thermal transfer printer includes a support and a platen body mounted on the support and made of an elastic material. The platen body has a first layer located on a thermal printer head side and having a high hardness and a second layer having a hardness lower than that of the first layer. The hardness of the first layer is a JIS A hardness of 60 to 100. The front layer is treated such that a surface roughness of the first layer is not more than 30 .mu.m and a friction coefficient of a surface thereof is small.

Abstract: A thermal transfer printer includes a head holding member for holding a printing head and for applying an urging force for urging the printing head against a platen and separating the printing head from the platen. An elastic member biases the head holding member to urge the printing head against the platen. A regulating member regulates displacement of the elastic member to change the urging force of the printing head against the platen. A driving unit drives the regulating member. A detecting unit detects either one or both of the type of ink ribbon or the surface roughness of recording paper. A control unit controls the driving unit in accordance with the result of the detecting unit. The urging force of the printing head is thus changed in accordance with either one or both of the type of ink ribbon or the surface roughness of the recording paper.

Abstract: A platen for a thermal transfer printer includes a support and a platen body mounted on the support and made of an elastic material. The platen body has a first layer located on a thermal printer head side and having a high hardness and a second layer having a hardness lower than that of the first layer. The hardness of the first layer is a JIS a hardness of 60 to 100. The front layer is treated such that a surface roughness of the first layer is not more than 30 .mu.m and a friction coefficient of a surface thereof is small.